Tuesday
August 1
PHILIP—THE EVANGELIST (Acts 8:5, 26, 40; 21:8, 9).
The deacons were to care for the material needs of the growing
church so the apostles could give themselves totally to the ministry of
the Word (Acts 6:4). However, Scripture mentions that some of the
deacons also were active in gospel ministry. Stephen "did great won-
ders and miracles among the people" (6:8; 6:10; 7:2-56), and Philip
preached, performed miracles, and baptized.
This Philip was not an apostle but one of the seven deacons ap-
pointed along with Stephen (8:1, 4, 5). In commenting on his example,
let us consider Revelation 22:17: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come." "The charge to give this invita-
tion includes the entire church. Every one who has heard the invitation
is to echo the message from hill and valley, saying 'Come.' It is a fatal
mistake to suppose that the work of soul-saving depends alone upon
the ministry. . .. Why is it that many more do not respond to the call? Is
it because they think themselves excused in that they do not stand in
the pulpit? Let them understand that there is a large work to be done
outside the pulpit, by thousands of consecrated lay members."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 110, 111.
To what three cities did Philip go in his attempts to obey the gospel
commission? Acts 8:5, 26, 40. What does his willingness to do so tell
us about him?
Israel was composed of three main regions—Galilee to the north,
Samaria in the middle, and Judea in the south. Samaria, the city, in the
region of Samaria, had been the capital of the northern kingdom of
Israel. In 722 B.C., Assyria defeated the northern kingdom, killed many
of the Jewish people, and carried others off to Assyria. Those who
remained married those who helped to repopulate the area. Their
children are the Samaritans we read about in the Bible. When the Jews
returned to Samaria after the exile ended, a deep prejudice festered
between them and these offspring. Yet despite such hatred, Jesus
witnessed to them, as did Philip.
How were Philip and his family
known in the
church? Acts 21:8, 9.
How can deacons, elders, and deaconesses participate in mis-
sionary activities? How can professors, carpenters, nurses, stu-
dents, secretaries, farmers, children, mechanics, etc., partici-
pate in the work of saving souls? How can you become involved
in a specific evangelistic project in your community?
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